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Objectives
(those directly related to the IB Design
Technology Standard are shown in blue) |
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| Essential Question:
How
does green design impact your life? |
Principles of green design
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Define
green design,
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List examples of renewable resources and non-renewable resources.
Note that the energy for all renewable sources comes from the Sun. For
example the Sun causes water to evaporate. The water eventually falls as rain
and some collects behind dams and is used to generate hydro-electric power.
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renewable resources |
non-renewable resources |
| Photovoltaic electricity |
Fossil fuels: oil, gas, coal.
These represent solar energy that was stored in
ancient plants that died and were eventually converted into fossil fuels
by geological processes over millions of years |
| Solar heating |
nuclear energy (uranium)
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| Wind generated power
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metals:
these can be considered renewable to the extent they
are recycled. |
| Bio-fuels: bio-diesel, ethanol, methanol |
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| Hydro-electric |
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| Lumber:
this is only true if the rate of replacing trees is
greater than or equal to the rate of cutting down trees. |
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Outline the reasons for green design.
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also customer approval. Energy efficient products are cheaper
to operate and hence, are sought after by customers
legislation:
this is needed when green alternatives or behavior is more
expensive than less environmentally responsible options.
manufacturing cost savings: energy efficiency reduces
manufacturing cost. Emissions of pollutants often represent a loss of product
or raw materials. Solid waste that goes to a landfill is an expense.
reliability of supply: flex fuel vehicles and plug in hybrid
vehicles are less dependent on gasoline supplies (a major benefit of the
Brazilian system).
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Discussion Questions
- What is the cost of polluted air and water?
- Should pollution be part of the price for a
product? On this basis is coal generated electricity (usually the
cheapest fossil fuel) properly priced?
- Is legislation a good way to promote green design
or is it a choice of last resort?
- Would companies that embrace green design be
likely to be more or less profitable?
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List design objectives for
green products.
low-impact materials: minimizing damage or pollution from
the chosen materials
minimal long-term harm from product
use:
product that functions efficiently for its full life
low-impact product disposal:
taking full account of the effects of
the end disposal of the product
environmentally
friendly packaging and instructions:
minimal nuisances: such as noise or
smell
minimal safety hazards:
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Discuss the impact of “take back” legislation on designers and
manufacturers of cars, refrigerators and washing machines.
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Explain how people can be broadly
classified according to their attitudes to green issues.
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Eco-warriors
actively demonstrate on environmental issues.
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Eco-champions
champion environmental issues within organizations.
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Eco-fans
enthusiastically adopt environmentally friendly practices as consumers.
Every time you purchase a product you vote for its continuation.
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Eco-phobes
actively resent talk of environmental protection.
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Have
attitudes toward the
environment
actually changed?
Here are some example of
advertisements from
the 50s and 60s intended to make oil companies look good. |
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Assessment -- Analysis of
“Take Back”
Legislation
Specifications: Research "take back" legislation on the internet.
Make a table and list the pros on one side and the cons on the other. Below
the table write a paragraph describing the best way to use "take back"
legislation. Below the paragraph, list at least 3 references.
Deliverable: Place the completed Word file in the IB Design
Technology folder of your student drive.
Work Group: Groups of 2. |
Relevance: Within the lifetime of
today's high school students, there are likely to be petroleum product
shortages due to a lack of supply and significant environmental
disruptions due to global warming. Green design is a way to minimize these
problems.
| Essential Question:
What are the factors that make a product
green? |
Life cycle analysis
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Define
life cycle analysis.
List the key stages in life cycle
analysis.
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pre-production:
This mainly
concerns issues associated with acquiring raw materials. For example,
obtaining metals using strip mining, use of forests, insecticides used in
farming, etc.
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production:
manufacturing consumes energy and other resources like water, landfill
space, etc. In addition to the product it also generally produces air and
water pollution.
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distribution including packaging:
includes the energy requirements of transportation. while packaging is
often considered a source of waste, it can prevent excessive product loss
from spoilage or damage.
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utilization:
Energy consumption.
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disposal:
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List the major environmental considerations in life cycle
analysis.
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water--surface water, ground
water, runoff
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soil pollution and degradation--contamination,
erosion (dust bowel)
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air contamination--pollution
(ground level ozone), particulates (smoke), greenhouse gasses
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noise
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energy consumption--renewable,
non-renewable, clean, dirty
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consumption of natural resources
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pollution and effect on ecosystems--endangered
species
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Organize the environmental considerations
of the life cycle stages
into an
environmental impact assessment matrix.
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Explain why elements of the matrix
may differ in importance according to the particular design context.
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Name the major source of water pollution in Greenville
county --siltification typically caused by excessive rain water
runoff.
Describe strategies for controlling excessive runoff.
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Describe the elements of green parking lot design.
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plantings that can tolerate wet and dry cycles
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lower than grade plantings that are not blocked by curbs
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permeable paving techniques
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correct sizing of the number of parking spaces.
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Discussion Questions
- Would companies that embrace green design be
likely to be more or less profitable?
- Can packaging be environmentally responsible even
if it ends up in a land fill?
- Are plastic bags really worse than paper/
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Discussion Questions
County planners actually use
Google Earth
- How could county planners use a program like
Google Earth for analyzing parking lots and their impact?
- How could they use it for determining land use or
other infrastructure needs?
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Assessment -- Analysis of
Runoff
IB Standard:
environmental impact assessment matrix.
Specifications:
Locate a parking lot in Greenville (the Bi Lo lot on Pelham Road near 85)
using Google Earth. Measure the dimensions of the lot and calculate the lot's
area and runoff in gallons for 1" of rain.
Deliverable: An Excel file
showing the area of the parking lot and the runoff amount along with all
of the required calculations. Include
an environmental impact assessment matrix for the parking lot in the Excel
spreadsheet Place the Excel file in the IB Design
Technology folder of your student drive.
Work Group: Groups of 2. |
| Essential Question:
How can a designer influence
product life cycle in a way that minimizes the product's environmentaL
impact over its entire life cycle? |
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Identify the roles and
responsibilities of the designer, manufacturer and user at each life
cycle stage of a product.
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pre-production: |
production: |
distribution including packaging: |
utilization |
disposal: |
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designer |
- select low impact materials
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- design for ease of manufacturing.
- select materials to minimize waste and energy consumption in
manufacturing
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- design for small size and light weight
- minimize packaging materials
- select low impact packaging materials
- use effective eco-labeling
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- design for energy efficiency, low noise, safety, etc.
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- design for recycling, reuse, repair, reconditioning.
- select materials for minimal land fill impact.
- minimize the number of materials
- design for disassembly and label for recycling
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manufacturer |
- use green product designers
- use green design in manufacturing facilities
- require green practices from vendors
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- use state of the are pollution and noise abatement.
- minimize all waste streams.
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use green design (such as green parking lots) in distribution
facilities
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Use biodegradable peanut packing.
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- provide instructions to encourage proper use and disposal of
product.
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- initiate take-back policies
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user |
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- use green design and energy efficiency as part of the buying
decision.
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- use the product in an environmentally responsible manner
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recycling, reuse, repair, and return the product for reconditioning
if possible
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compost
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Describe one example of a
situation where life cycle analysis identifies conflicts that have to be
resolved through prioritization. Halon fire extinguishers:
they were superb fire extinguishers but, if used, released chemicals that
could significantly damage the ozone layer. Today they are no longer
manufactured. The priority of protecting the environment was judged to
be higher than the priority of effectively extinguishing fires.
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Explain that life cycle analysis
is targeted at particular product categories. Keep in mind
that ideally it should be targeted at all product categories, but clearly
some products
have more impact or the companies making them have far more resources
for implementing life cycle analysis.
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Explain why life cycle analysis is
not widely used in practice.
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cost, however, sometimes the
cost of green design is offset by other forms of savings.
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lack of technology or know-how
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resistance to change
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Describe the reasons for the
introduction of eco-labeling schemes.
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Compare the objectives of two
different eco-labeling schemes.
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Europe,
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Australia
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the United States (US).
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Assessment -- Analysis of
eco-labeling schemes
IB Standard:eco-labeling schemes
Specifications:
Using internet research, find and list the objectives of eco-labeling schemes for
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Europe,
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Australia
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the United States (US).
Deliverable: Place the completed Word file in the IB Design
Technology folder of your student drive.
Work Group: Individuals. |
| Essential Question:
How can a designer influence
whether the product is reused or recycled? |
Strategies for green design
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Describe how reuse, repair,
reconditioning and recycling contribute to the optimization of resource
utilization.
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Describe how the strategies of
reuse, repair and recycling can be applied to the design of products,
including packaging.
--robust design, cleanable, example:
refillable propane tanks, refillable spray bottles
repair --modular design with ease of access, built
in diagnostic capabilities, example: cars
reconditioning --modular design with ease of
access, interchangeable upgrade parts, example: computers
recycling --materials selection,
must be compatible and recyclable
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Describe how composting can be used to
reduce landfill requirements.
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yard waste--over
50% of all land fill materials are yard waste.
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packing materials--cardboard,
biodegradable packing peanuts, newspapers can be composed
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food wastes--especially
vegetable waste
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List three material groups that
can be easily and economically recycled.
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metals
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glass
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thermoplastics
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paper
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Describe how many products
comprise several different materials, and state that these materials
have to be separated to enable recycling.
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Discuss the issues underpinning
the economic recycling of materials.
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Define design for disassembly.
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Explain that design for
disassembly is one aspect of design for materials and will facilitate
recycling of products on disposal.
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Discuss strategies that designers could employ to
design for disassembly.
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Design components made from
a single
material.
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Use thermoplastic adhesives that
lose their properties when reheated.
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Designing snap fittings instead
of welding and gluing.
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Use screws or bolts as fasteners rater than rivets.
(Rivets generally have to be ground of or
must be drilled out to remove.
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Label plastic parts according to type
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Assessment -- Analysis of
Paper vs. Plastic
IB Standard:disposal
Specifications:
Answer the question: which takes up more space in a landfill, paper bags or
plastic bags?
Deliverable: Show in-class
measurements and calculations.
Work Group: Individuals. |
Assessment: Test objectives 1-20
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Additional Higher Level
Objectives |
| Essential Question:
What is appropriate technology? |
Appropriate technology and sustainable
development
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Define:
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List four characteristics of an appropriate technology
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Describe one example of an appropriate technology
For example, solar cooking, hybrid vehicles, windup
torches.
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Identify the three key dimensions of triple bottom line
sustainability.
productivity, trickle-down.
Environmental sustainability: ecosystem integrity,
carrying capacity, biodiversity.
Social sustainability: cultural identity,
empowerment, accessibility, stability, equity.
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Explain how global conferences (for example, Rio de Janeiro,
Johannesburg) provide a platform for
the development of global strategies for
sustainable development.
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Explain the ongoing challenges facing the achievement of a
consensus on a strategy for sustainable development.
- Outline the Bellagio principles. See “The Sustainability Report” of the
International
Institute for Sustainable Development.
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Explain how progress towards sustainable development might be
assessed using the Bellagio principles.
In 1996 the International Institute for Sustainable
Development
developed general guidelines for
the practical assessment of progress towards
sustainable development—the
Bellagio principles.
These identify common patterns in sustainable
development-related assessments.
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Assessment -- Analysis of
Paper vs. Plastic
IB Standard:the
Bellagio principles
Specifications:
Write a 1 to 2 page paper
(single spaced 12pt Arial or less font)
that answers objectives 6 and 7 above.
Deliverable:
Place the completed Word file in the IB Design
Technology folder of your student drive.
Work Group: Individuals. |
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Explain why sustainable development requires systems-level changes in industry
and society
as well as close cooperation between manufacturers and government.
Explain how a close relationship between manufacturers and
government can be difficult to achieve because the two parties may have very
different perspectives on sustainability and timescales.
Outline three reasons why it is difficult for governments to
introduce legislation to cover all aspects of sustainability.
Resistance to change: Groups that
will bear the costs may resist proposed changes.
Legislation can have
unintended consequences.
Governments
often need to proceed cautiously.
Public apathy toward
issues of sustainability may cause a government to
place very little priority on sustainability legislation.
| Essential Question:
What makes a building sustainable? |
Sustainable building design
Example:
passive homes
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Define:
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intelligent building
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living building
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grey water
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black water
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building
envelope
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U value
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passive solar design
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daylighting
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active solar
collection.
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List five objectives for sustainable
buildings.
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Explain the benefits of intelligent buildings to sustainable
building design. An intelligent building is typically computer
controlled. The computer senses environmental changes such as the absence of
people or changes in temperature and activates appropriate actions such as
turning off unneeded lights or adjusting the air conditioning system.
Effective energy management system, for example,
provides lowest cost energy, avoids waste of
energy by managing occupied space, and makes
efficient use of staff through centralized control
and integrating information from different sources.
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Outline the key features of living buildings.
Water can be
collected from rain. electricity can be generated using windmills or
photovoltaic solar cells. Heat can be collected with passive or active solar
systems.
Adapted specifically to site and climate and evolve
as conditions change.
Operate pollution-free and
generate no waste that is not useful for some
other process in the building or the immediate
environment.
Promote the health and well-being
of inhabitants.
Comprise integrated systems
that maximize efficiency and comfort.
Improve the
health and diversity of the local ecosystem rather
than degrade it.
Grounds with trees, water features, and other types of plantings can
enhance the local ecosystem. Grassy areas are
questionable since they often require inorganic fertilizers, herbicides,
insecticides, or mowing to maintain. While they are far better than areas
paved with impermeable pavement, grassy areas have limited value for
preventing runoff.
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Identify ways in which water consumption in buildings can be
optimized through reduction of water consumption and recycling.
(composting, incinerating)),
urinals
(controls,
waterless)
wash-hand basins (push
taps, flow
controls)
showers (water-saving
shower heads or
systems)--Saves
not just water but also energy by reducing hot water consumption.
water control in
gardens and outside
spaces, water-saving washing
machines
water
supply (auto shut-off and
pressure regulators),
rain
water and grey water
recycling systems.
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Identify ways in which material use can be optimized through
the life cycle of a building.
Manufacture: waste reduction
prevention
use of
recycled materials
embodied
energy reduction (the quantity of
energy
required with all the
activities associated with the
production process, for
example, energy to quarry,
transport and
manufacture building materials plus
energy used in
construction)
natural
materials--for example if stone is a naturally occurring
material found at or near the building site, it is sensible to use it in
construction. On the other hand, if stone has to be imported from great
distances, it will require a considerable amount of energy to transport it.
Operation:
Disposal:
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Identify waste management strategies appropriate for
sustainable buildings.
Waste prevention, recycling construction and
demolition materials, architectural
reuse (adaptive
reuse, conservative disassembly,
reuse of salvaged
materials). Design for material
recovery.
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Identify ways in which the indoor environment of buildings can
be optimized.
--indoor
air pollution can be minimized with proper ventilation or indoor plants. Air
filters can reduce allergens and air-borne microbes. Barrior materials
between the soil and bottom floor can limit radon infiltration.
visual quality
acoustic quality
noise control
system
controllability.
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Explain how the building envelope contributes to the amount of
energy a building uses during its operation.
Building envelope design is a major factor in
determining the amount of energy a
building will
use in its operation. The building
envelope must
balance requirements for ventilation
and daylight
while providing thermal and moisture
protection
appropriate to prevailing climate.
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Identify the key considerations to take into account when
selecting materials for the building envelope.
climate:
Does the space need temperature control that requires heating or cooling of the
building's space. Is dust, pollen, or humidity control, an issue?
activities:
Different activities may determine the need for soundproofing or the climate
controls described above. Example: a library will
require humidity and temperature control to preserve the books and
soundproofing to minimize distractions while patrons are reading.
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Identify four factors
that determine the heat flow through a material and
explain
how the selection of different construction materials
can contribute
to heat loss or gain from a building
Q = A
∙
k ∙
ΔT
/ Δx
where:
Q = the heat flow rate
A =
surface
area
Δx
=
thickness
ΔT
=
temperature difference
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k =
coefficient
of thermal conductivity
This is a material property
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Thermal
Properties of Building Materials |
|
Material |
Thermal Conductivity
(W/mK) |
| Aluminum |
250
|
| Steel, Carbon 1% |
43
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| Glass, window |
0.96
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| Brick work |
0.69
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| Concrete, light |
0.42
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| Gypsum or plaster board |
0.17 |
| Wood across the grain, yellow pine
|
0.147
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| Insulation materials |
0.035 - 0.16
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Assessment: Test (higher level only) objectives 1-20 |
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